


Overlooked Flaw

by Circuit



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, Makoto Niijima Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 12:30:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12108777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circuit/pseuds/Circuit
Summary: It's the night of November 19th, and the Phantom Thieves are anxiously anticipating whether their plan will work or not, when Makoto realizes they overlooked a fatal flaw, one based on the very thing that makes said plan possible: her sister's cognition.Written for Day 1 of Tumblr's Makoto Niijima Week: Strategist/Leader. (Spoilers up to November 20th).





	Overlooked Flaw

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really nervous about releasing this, or anything in general, as I'm rarely happy with my writing, but the prompts gave me the perfect excuse to try with quick one-shots like this. I hope you enjoy!

Just as expected, Akechi betrayed the Phantom Thieves. Just as planned, Akira was arrested. Makoto had done all she could on her end; detailing the realism of the interrogation room replica in her sister’s Palace, and how they weren’t in their Phantom Thief attire while there. Working with Futaba on the timing for the Meta-Nav to send her sister and Akechi in and out of the Metaverse. She even tried appealing to her sister’s Shadow in the hopes to make Akira’s job easier. At least, that’s the reason she came up with when asked later if that was risking the plan by potentially reaching Sae’s heart prematurely.

Now, all she and the rest of the Phantom Thieves could do was wait. Wait and continue their daily lives as if they weren’t afraid for their friend’s life.

Makoto laid back in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sae wasn’t home when they escaped the police and got out of her Palace. None of this was helping her anxiety and she couldn’t help but keep running through her plan to fake Akira’s death. It felt like she was missing something important about it.

Install and time the remote access to the Meta-Nav, done. Make Akechi believe they were caught off guard by the police’s arrival and that Akira distracting them was spur of the moment, done. Make Akechi believe they destroyed the Palace, while leaving it intact… Ryuji claims to have seen Akechi as they exited the Palace in a big rush, and as Ryuji had retrieved the fake briefcase that Akechi would think contained the Treasure again, that should be done, too.

There is nothing more they can do. The next part depends on Akira and Sae. Akira reminding her of her sense of justice, and Sae just being cognizant of Akira in the police station.

Makoto suddenly sat up. Of course. That’s the detail she missed. If Sae seeing Akira there was all it took for her to have a cognitive version of him in the police station, then wouldn’t seeing Akechi as she goes to leave mean there’s a cognitive Akechi in the same hallway that the real one and her sister are going to be sent to when they move ahead with their plan? All their tricks would be ruined the instant he sees his own doppelganger.

She quickly got out of bed, and set to work setting up a group chat sans the traitor and Akira. She knows what Goro Akechi is capable of from his time as their ‘ally’, and Sae’s Shadow saw it, as well. Makoto has no way to be sure whether that would impact the fighting capabilities of cognitive Akechi or not, but with Akira’s life on the line, she wasn’t taking any chances.

~~~

“Well, cognitive Akira seems to be there, so things seem to be on schedule,” Morgana said, returning to the group. Him, along with Haru, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Makoto had moved into the police station in Sae’s Palace the next day after her texts last night. Futaba had to remain in reality to monitor the location of Akira’s phone to activate her app, and Makoto wouldn’t let Ann skip out on an interview and photoshoot she had scheduled.

“You didn’t let the officer standing guard see you, right?” Ryuji asked.

“Of course not, who do you think I am?”

“No bickering or boasting right now,” Makoto said quietly from where she was leaning against the wall. “I want everyone focused. Sis and Akechi could run into each other at any point in this hallway, and we’ll need to act immediately to get ourselves and the cognition of Akechi out of their way.”

“Sorry,” Morgana said.

“No, I’m at fault for not realizing this would happen sooner,” said Makoto.

“It’s not your fault, Mako-chan,” Haru said, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, you were sort of forced to make this whole thing up on the fly,” said Ryuji.

“Not to mention the issues with your sister,” said Yusuke.

“This plan is fine,” said Morgana. “And whether we knew we’d have to be here weeks ago or not wouldn’t change the pressure we’re under here.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Makoto. “Thank you. This plan only worked thus far thanks to you all.”

“Hey, don’t jinx us by thanking us already!” said Ryuji.

“I’m simply getting it out of the way while I can,” said Makoto. “Once we subdue cognitive Akechi, we have to immediately flee the Palace and return to our daily routines under radio silence until our meeting at Leblanc when this is over. If anyone is following or watching us, we need to make them believe that we’re in the dark on their scheme so that they’re in the dark on ours.”

“Which is why Ann is absent, yes?” Yusuke asked. He frowned, noticing a shimmering down the hall. “Makoto, over there.”

“It’s happening,” Makoto said, straightening up. “Like we discussed!”

A cognitive version of Akechi materialized, his back to the group.

“Hey, asshole!” Ryuji called out.

“Yes?” Cognitive Akechi asked, turning around in surprise. “Can I help-”

Makoto cut him off by rushing forward, delivering a sharp punch to his stomach.

“Ah!” he coughed, the wind knocked out of him.

Haru and Yusuke moved forward, ready to attack as well while Morgana readied rope to tie him up, only to stop in surprise as Akechi just dropped and stopped moving.

“Wait, that was it?” Ryuji asked. “Damn, Makoto, I know you’re tough, but-”

“Sis isn’t aware of what he can do,” said Makoto, a small frown on her face as she helped Morgana tie him up. “Ryuji, Yusuke, can you carry him? Haru, find a room as far down the hall as you can. Quickly, move!”

The rest obliged, rushing off down the hall. Makoto lagged back slightly, tempted to stay. Would Sis and Akechi appear here? Did Akira successfully convince her? She turned forward and ran down the hall. Unfortunately, staying to confirm would make all of her friends’ efforts be wasted. And she wouldn’t throw away Akira’s life just to satisfy temporary anxiety.

They found a broom closet upstairs that they threw the cognitive Akechi into. Makoto gave everyone a small smile in thanks, before instructing them to split up and stagger their exits from the Metaverse. Soon, it was just her and Morgana.

“We can leave together, if you want,” Morgana said. “You walking a cat wouldn’t be any weirder than Akira bringing me to school.”

“Do you need me to bring you back to Leblanc?” Makoto asked.

“Not really, no,” said Morgana. “I can make it back just fine.”

“Then can you give me a moment?” Makoto asked, looking down the street towards the casino that was the center of her sister’s distortion. Was it just her, or did the neon lights seem dimmer?

“Makoto,” Morgana said, looking up at her. “It’ll be fine, okay? We’ve done all we can, so let’s just go.”

“You’re right,” Makoto sighed. She took her phone out, heading off down the sidewalk and tapping the Meta-Nav. Whether things worked out, or went south, waiting and living their lives was all she and her friends could do at this point. Now, she just had to have faith.

“Returning to the real world.”


End file.
